Last Christmas
by sen whitefox mako red demon
Summary: So much has happened in the past year, and sadly it hasn't been for the better. Hazuki(Lotus) has been investigating for months now what happened in the 9 days of her daughters' disappearance and so far, has been unsuccessful. It's Christmas Eve, a night full of wishes and dreams. And in this house, it's no exception. Hazuki wants the truth and her daughters smiles back.


Last Christmas

 **Author Notes: So With the holidays come some new ideas and some new characters. 999 which i do not own, but really enjoyed despite being confused at some point.** **Out of everything there was one character that just caught my attention that I just had to do.**

 **Keep in mind guys, if you haven't watched or played the first game, you're kinda going to be out of the loop since there's no nicknames or mentions of the other characters. (cough cough this is Lotus based cough) That being said...Time for holiday one shot week~**

 _3rd P.O.V_

 **"Dammit!"** Hazuki bit her nail in irritation as she typed frantically on the keyboard of her laptop. It's been five months now since her daughters returned to her alive and safe. Five months since they had disappeared for nine days with no explanations why.

Even more, it's been five months since either of them have truly smiled and acted like the kids she knew and loved. Something happened to her baby girls, the doctors could say all they want, they weren't fine-at least not mentally.

It's Christmas eve, but it...really didn't feel like it. At least not to Hazuki. She remembered fondly of last year. Her twins Nona and Ennea were so excited when their mother had managed to bring home a silver tree for their home.

Together all of them had worked to decorate the tree. Sparkly ornaments in the often shifting lights and beautiful mint green tinsel covered everything, even them. The eleven year olds at the time constantly hovered over their moms shoulder as she put on the last finishing touches of frosted santa cookies.

Both of them had made their lists, they laughed and danced to Christmas music, and found peaceful dreams when their mom snuck presents underneath their tree. And it only got better in the morning when they shrieked in joy, and made coffee for her before dragging her into the living room.

Now a year later there was no life to their home. The tree was put up yes, the decorations surrounded the house and music was playing, but it just felt so off. The girls didn't have any Christmas cheer, they were quiet and tired.

Most nights they would be crying, screaming for their mother to get rid of the nightmares. Horrible dreams that they refused to share with her. **"What sort of hell did they go through in those nine days?"** Despite her pleas for answers she received nothing.

She couldn't interrogate Nona and Ennea, lest she brings up the terrible memories even further making things worse. The cops wouldn't tell her anything, pissing her off. Saying there was no leads, or evidence. A bit too convenient of an excuse for her tastes, the officers she talked to didn't give a damn.

Which is concerning, seeing how her children weren't the only victims that had gone missing, just to reappear a little after a week. And as much as she hated to admit it, despite investigating on her own to find the answers she desperately needed, there's been nothing.

 **"Someones pulling strings if things got swept under the rug so fast."** Muttering her irritations she slaps her laptop down. She sighs, frowning as she glances at the clock. It was quarter to midnight, the usual time Hazuki would sneak into the living room and arrange the presents around and under the tree.

However that was another time, before her daughters were mentally scarred. Now these days they're lucky to sleep into the night. Finding the motivation to move, she got up, she needed to keep the tradition alive.

Give her girls what hope and normalcy she can. Yawning quietly to herself, she grabs the gifts and sneaks about. Each present was wrapped with rainbow snowflake wrapping paper, topped with silver and gold ribbon. Delicately they were positioned before the young mother moved to the girls stockings.

Though they weren't enthused, both eleven year olds wrote a letter for Santa to read, and reading it left their mother in tears. It took everything she had to keep her sobs quiet as she read each of their lists.

A small wish, only a couple of sentences from each of them. Neatly written as if they truly believed someone was going to read it, and to be honest, she couldn't help but feel loved and saddened by the contents.

Whether they had both decided on their wish together or separately Hazuki didn't know...but it didn't matter. It was the same, it was something they both wanted from the bottom of their hearts, and the ex IT would do everything in her power to make things right.

* * *

 _ **Dear Santa,**_

 _ **This year, all I want for Christmas is to spend time with my mother and sister. I know sis and I have worried her and we want to make her happy.**_

 _ **Thank you.**_

 _ **Love Ennea**_

* * *

 _ **Dear Santa,**_

 _ **This year I want to just spend time with mom and Ennea. I want things to be the way it used to be.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading.**_

 _ **Love Nona.**_

* * *

 **"Oh girls."** Her grip tightened around the letters as more tears slid down her cheeks. Things were going to be ok, she was going to make it happen. **"One step at a time."** Wiping her eyes she stuffed each stocking, filling with candy and small little things Hazuki got for the girls.

Exhausted, the young mother returned to her room in the hopes of falling asleep. She was so tired, both mentally and physically, yet sleep struggled to come to her, her thoughts were racing far too much. Her mind went back to the letters that Nona and Ennea made, what they wanted.

What they needed, and it made her choke up. Glancing out the window, gazing at the twinkling stars, she laid in bed, making a silent wish of her own. Now she was too old to believe that ole Saint Nick was real. But she wanted to believe that someone would hear her plea.

 _'Whoever's out there, please help my daughters. Whatever it was that happened to them, that made them so sad and scared, let them overcome it and be happy.'_

With one final tear...Hazuki Kashiwabara falls into an uneasy sleep. Tomorrow would be Christmas morning. A new day and hopefully one where at least a spark of the old Nona and Ennea would return. With smiles full of happiness.

 **"Mom? Mom wake up. We have coffee!"**

The end

 **Author Notes: Dun dun da dun dun dun done~ This little one shot took a bit of remembering and researching but it was soooo worth it! I was kinda sad when i realized Lotus didn't have a super big role compared to the other characters in the game, but I was happy with her backstory.**

 **She was awesome and I felt she needed some love, so I figured a nice christmas family story with some depression is a good way to kick off the holidays~ In all seriousness im happy with how it came about.**

 **And if you guys are happy, please feel free to fav/follow/review as it means a crap ton to me. Also be sure to check out the other several years worth of holiday one shots and mini series, but its the end for now. Tchao for now guys.**


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